[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I saw this article on ESPN.COM..And found it to be very interesting with the draft a few days away..It was written by Dana O’Neill..
*
Ask any college coach and they’re spin you a tale of a wildly successful college player who,for a long time didn’t come around because they felt ashamed his professional accolades didn’t match his college achievements..And convinced that he was a failure becuase he didn’t make the nba..Its an all or nothing proposition that has left everything else in the wake..College careers are all but devalued and luctrative overseas deals are viewed with snobbish disdain..
From the day when kids see their names in some version of national rankings as early as middle school..

1 drumbeat some in their heads:
Get to the nba
make it in the league
get to the nba
make it in the league..

Keith Langford scored 1.812 points at Kansas helped his team win 3 Regular Season BIG 12 Titles,went to 2 Final 4s..Yet for a long time after his UK days were over,Lawrence was the last place Langford wanted to be..The community that once embraced him instead made him feel unworthy..Not for anything they did..Its what they said,unwittingly that cut to the core with the simplest question: Why wasn’t he in the nba?

An honest query,but those 6 words were like daggers to Langford because in them he heard the implication: Whats wrong with you? You did so much in college? What happened ? You’re a failure..
Langford remembers his 1st day on the UK campus playing in a pickup game with future teammates and former pros..He made a ‘sweet pass’ that Drew Gooden labeled a league pass..1 season and a final 4 run later Gooden punched his ticket as the 4th pick in the draft..So the following year when Langford helped his team to another Final 4..everyone assumed his time was coming..Langford went undrafted and blamed everyone,he blamed the system blamed everyone but himself..And worse he turned up his nose at a chance to play overseas..Until finally getting in debt after a loan from his agent..He accepted a contract from an overseas agent…It wasnt until i got over there that i finally realized i’m still a professional ball player..I’ve made millions in the 7 years i’ve been here,but if i was to talk to kids..They’d rather listen to the nba guy thats on a minimum contract than listen to me..

Fomer Kansas State guard Jacob Pullen was projected as a 2nd round pick,but went undrafted..Pullen said peole say to him,you averaged 20 points a game,what happened? Pullen played for Pallacanestro Biello..Says he will tryout for nba teams this summer,but if he doesnt make it he can still take care of his family,because he’s made a great living overseas..But still hear those whispers that he didn’t make it..

Xavier guard Tu Holloway is projected as a 2nd round pick grew up in New YOrk where the pressure begins on the playgrounds..Its nba or nothing,if you’re not in the nba you didnt make it..Period..Even if i dont get drafted i’ll get phone calls..I just dont want my family watching the draft and be devastated because i didnt get drafted..

Mateen Cleaves says people hit him up on Twitter all the time and say he was a bust and didnt make it..Cleaves found those statements laughable..
Dont hold your head down..You went to college you got your degree and you experience some sort of success..Man,you’re a Winner..

[Real Talk Real TrophiesParticipant]

Kansas is KU, Kentucky UK…. but interesting read. I understand the sentiment felt by those players, but at the same time, they are getting paid to play basketball.  I think for everyone on here that would be a dream come true.. and the overseas players are still ballers

[sheltwon3Participant]

I guess some players and people don’t realize that there are only so many spots in the NBA.  At the most 15* 30. 

Every most teams are full and in order for new people to get in, some people that were on rosters will not be on rosters.  Some of it is politics.  You have to be on the right fit to show what you can do.  You have to have a coach that will be patience.  This is only reason why sometimes you may want to stay in college until certain parts of your game develop.  If you are not one of the guys getting hype off of name recognition than you need to stay long enough to gain game recognition.  There are people fighting to get in from past drafts so you have to really be honest about your game and what you provide.

It is funny when there are players that have been in the league for 7 or more years and people call them busts.

There are a whole bunch of players that would love to be that bust and that bust is probably not as bad as you think.  Most Busts don’t get a second contract.  Talented players like Gerald Green made in the league and left just as quick but he was blessed that after he go serious about the game, he is back and hopefully hear to stay.

[surveParticipant]

 From the outside looking in, its a different view because players once they get to a certain level are expected to succeed and when you dont make it in the league you are naturally viewed as a failure or not good enough.  Thats not true.  What you have in the NBA is a very specific job on the highest level.  

The level from HS, to college, to the NBA are three totally different things, this is why I always say dont put too much stock in what a person did or didnt do in college and think it will or wont translate to the NBA.

You have a guy like Scottie Reynolds.  Great ball player all his life.  State HS POY for 3 years, McDonald’s All American, played for a great university at Villanova, became a 1st team All American in college, then not make it to the NBA.  It looks as if he is a failure, but he is not, its just that the league is on such a specific level, unlike any other sport that it is hard to hold down one of only 450 jobs.

@sheltwon "This is only reason why sometimes you may want to stay in college until certain parts of your game develop. If you are not one of the guys getting hype off of name recognition than you need to stay long enough to gain game recognition."

Its more to it than that.  Its about job specifics.  You can stay in college 8 years sometimes and it wont make a difference.  Then you have guys like Russell Westbrook not get any recognition in HS and little in college and come in the league and dominate.   Or you have a guy like Ben Wallace go undrafted and have a close to HOF career.  Its about job specifics.

We tend to sympathize or sometimes be overly critical of someone who was known to be the top in their field as an amateur but couldnt attain a professional job on the highest stage.  Does not mean they are failures at all, most of them are very successful, but without the glory and on the flipside, sometimes without the pressure.

You also have guys who dont really want any parts of it, they just earn enough to start a good nest-egg, then move on.  Harold Miner is a good example.  He couldve stayed in the NBA for a long time as a bench player/scoring specialist, but he chose to walk away and not even look back.  Heard he went into real-estate and was very successful and happy doing that.  I am sure he doesnt view himself as a failure.  Its only perception….but perception is reality.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I can remember watching 1 certain draft with some friends that had took some classes at West Virginia with guard Mike Gansey.We were almost positive he was going to get drafted,at least in the 2nd round..Alot of mocks even had him pegged as a possible late 1st rounder…We heard Gansey had gathered some family members together to watch the draft..I can imagine the embarrassment he went through after he went undrafted…

I remember watching Rashard Lewis sit in the green room until the 2nd round..Year later Lewis said Houston had promised to take him with 1 of the 2 picks 1st rounders they had that year..

I remember hearing Doc Rivers saying he cried because he thought he was going to be a 1st round pick….

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Kris Joseph and Kevin Jones are 2 big name players that i have a feeling wont get drafted………..

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I know Renardo Sidney  should feel ashamed..After the season ended i thought he hada chance to be drafted in the 2nd round..But showing up at theNets Combine weighting over 300 lbs and needing an inhaler after 10 minutes Shut Down any chances of him getting drafted…Now even he Admits he’s LOST…..

[JoeWolf1]

 Langford was regarded as one of the best Americans playing in Europe a couple years ago.  I didn’t know he felt that way about the league.  I remember him playing a stint with the Spurs and I thought he’d stick.  I read he was the Adridatic League MVP this year too.  He could make it in the NBA right now in a reserve role, but I undertand why he’s hesitant after that story.

KU fans still love him, I don’t know a single person who is diasappointed with him being a successful player overseas.  

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Hard to believe say Cleaves didnt make he did last in the nba for a few years..I think people were overhyping him when he came out of college,like they’re overhyping Kendall Marshall right now…Cleaves showed he was a nba player..But wasnt worthy of being a lottery pick..And i think Marshall wasnt worthy…But going to major programs and doing well, helpmost players,especially in awhen its a down year for players at your position…

[JoeWolf1]

Yeah, Cleaves played 6 years in the league, your right, he didn’t live up to his draft pick, but 6 years in the NBA is a nice accomplishment.

Cleaves’ biggest issue is that he couldn’t shoot very well and when he did, it wasn’t a very good shot, nor did he make a high percentage of them.  I do see the comparisons to Marshall, but I think the difference is that Marshall can’t shoot, but only takes good/high percentage shots.

Cleaves would come in and shoot because he felt thats what he needed to do, while Marshall would just as much only take 2 shots and pass all the time if they weren’t good shots.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Hard to believe say Cleaves didnt make he did last in the nba for a few years..I think people were overhyping him when he came out of college,like they’re overhyping Kendall Marshall right now…Cleaves showed he was a nba player..But wasnt worthy of being a lottery pick..And i think Marshall wasnt worthy…But going to major programs and doing well, helpmost players,especially in awhen its a down year for players at your position…

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

Sidney told a sports reporter he was shocked he wasnt drafted..But felt his reputation was so bad,that teams didnt want another Ron Artest…He said he got lazy and stopped working out,stopped listening to coaches..After his family moved from Mississippi to LA,he started receiving free gifts from boosters…Growing up never having anything,no money,no clothes,he finally was receiving anything he asked for..He said he know it was wrong but he didnt care..He loved the attention and material things and it went to his head…

He said he wish he could start over..He says he’s lost..Having going through 2 agents,Sidnet said he doesnt know what his next step is..

The friends that hang around thinking he would soon sign a million dollar contract have disappeared,so has his dad..And recently sent the Mississippi State athletic Department and former coach Rick Stansbury a letter of apology….

[FastAndFuriousParticipant]

 No Cleaves biggest issue was his lack of quickness.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

I always felt Cleaves was overrated..Being at a major school like Michigan State and leading a team to a title helped got him in the lottery..He always looked like a nba backup to me…

[NihochuParticipant]

Scott Machado is probably wondeing how his (almost)10 assists per game, didn’t get him drafted. He was around teammates that were considerably worse and still averaged more assists.

[RUDEBOY_Participant]

There might be more undrafted guys on nba rosters next season,than guys that were 2nd rounders …..

[Author]

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